New Releases by Joyce Dunbar

A collection of twelve new stories featuring the lovable characters ofMouse and Mole, perfect for reading during ''Twixmas'' with one story for each of the twelve days after Christmas.

Mouse and Mole''s charming, gentle and humourous adventures continue in this new addition to the much-loved series.Contains three stories:1. The Secret of HappinessMole dreams that he finds the secret of happiness and wakes a grumpy Mouse to tell him, but then Mole instantly forgets! Mole spends all day trying to remember, bringing Mouse and all their friends to join his search, but will he manage to discover the secret again?2. This Way and ThatMole sets off for a walk going this way and that, but Mouse keeps asking him to run errands for him. But why is Mouse making Mole run these seemingly useless errands, and will Mole ever be able to go for his care-free wander?3. A Good ReadMouse and Mole sit down for a good read, but Mole can''t stop fidgeting and distracting Mouse. Whether it''s finding a place to sit, having hiccups, itching and scratching or yawning, Mole just can''t stay still.

Mouse and Mole try to give their friendship a fresh start but realise they can''t go without seeing each other, even for a day. Mouse and Mole''s charming, gentle and humourous adventures continue in this new addition to the much-loved series, perfect for shared reading with younger children and for older children to read independently.

"Wenn das Wetter schön ist, machen wir ein Picknick im Wald. Wir schmieren Brote mit Käse und Gurke und nehmen unseren neuen Picknickkorb mit", sagte Maus. "Oh ja, das machen wir!", rief Maulwurf. "Aber was ist, wenn das Wetter morgen nicht schön ist?" "Dann setzen wir uns in unsere gemütlichen Lehnstühle vor dem Kamin und rösten Kastanien und toasten Teekuchen. Und dazu trinken wir heißen Kakao." Ganz gleich, wie das Wetter ist: Maus und Maulwurf wissen, wie man den Herbst genießt!

Join the two friends in three brand new adventures by author illustrator team Joyce Dunbar and James Mayhew.A Fresh Start:Mouse and Mole try to give their friendship a fresh start but realise they can''t go without seeing each other, even for a day.Hip-Dip-Dip:When Mole is unable to decide which toy boat he likes best, Mouse suggests ''hip-dip-dip'' to help him make his choice.A Bolt from the Blue:Mouse and Mole try to avoid a storm by running, crawling and sitting it out, until they realise it''s impossible to know when a bolt from the blue will strike and to make the best of their situation.The latest in a series of gentle and humorous stories by acclaimed author and illustrator team Joyce Dunbar and James Mayhew. ''Warm and witty illustrations... perfect to snuggle up with on a chilly afternoon'' Practical Parenting''Children will love the simple adventures of these two unlikely companions'' The School Librarian''Characters that stand alongside the greats of children''s literature... They work their magic not just on children, but on parents too...'' The Sunday Telegraph

Book Band: Lime, ideal for ages 6+ A powerful and personal story from Joyce Dunbar about what it''s like to experience hearing difficulties. ''Joyce Dunbar is one of the best writers for children today.'' Guardian Dylan can''t hear as well as he used to be able to and he doesn''t want to be different from his friends - he wants things to go back to the way they used to be. As his hearing gets worse he becomes more and more isolated from his friends. Luckily his dog Pluto is there to keep him down to earth... This heartwarming story from Joyce Dunbar has beautiful black-and-white illustrations by John Shelley and is perfect for children who are developing as readers. The Bloomsbury Readers series is packed with book-banded stories to get children reading independently in Key Stage 2 by award-winning authors like double Carnegie Medal winner Geraldine McCaughrean and Waterstones Prize winner Patrice Lawrence. With engaging illustrations and online guided reading notes written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), this series is ideal for home and school. For more information visit www.bloomsburyreaders.com. ''Any list that brings together such a quality line up of authors is going to be welcomed ... Bloomsbury Readers are aimed squarely at children in Key Stage 2 and designed to support them as they start reading independently and while they continue to gain confidence and understanding.'' Books for Keeps

Maulwurf hat es im Gefühl: Heute wird irgendetwas Tolles passieren! Aber Maus weiß es besser, denn Überraschungen ereignen sich nie dann, wenn man sie erwartet. Überhaupt ist Maus ein bisschen weiser als sein verträumter Freund. Und genau deshalb sind die beiden auch so ein gutes Team. Zusammen freuen sie sich über die erste blühende Narzisse, schaukeln gemütlich in ihrer Hängematte und feiern mit all ihren Freunden Maulwurfs Geburtstag - vollkommen überraschend, weil Maulwurf ihn selbst nämlich glatt vergessen hätte. Aber zum Glück hat er ja Maus, seinen ganz besonderen Freund fürs Leben.

When Mouse makes himself a hammock, Mole is only too happy to test it for his friend, and Mouse is equally eager to help Mole find his lost spectacles. But who will catch the falling leaf?

"¡El pato está enfurruñado! El estanque está seco y, lo que es peor, una pequeña nube gris lo sigue por todas partes. ¿Qué pueden hacer los amigos del pato para animarlo?"--Back cover.

Simple pastimes help Mouse and Mole realise there''s something special in everything, including themselves.

When Duck’s grumpiness becomes contagious, what can possibly turn it around? Duck is in a very grumpy mood. The pond is dry, and she doesn’t want to roll in the mud with Pig, sing with Rooster, doze with Tortoise, eat laundry with Goat, or join any of the other animals in their pastimes. To make matters worse, the gray cloud that’s following Duck is growing bigger by the minute, and now her friends are feeling gloomy as well. What will it take to cheer them all up? Two prolific picture-book creators look to the skies for a humorous tale of not-fair-weather friendship.

''This isn''t any old night, this is a magic night!'' There''s only one more sleep till Christmas and Lucas and Willow, the moon and the stars are all waiting ... While they wait, the children remember everything they love about Christmas, but they don''t notice that the magic has already begun ... This is a stunning picture book from a gifted storyteller and award-winning illustrator that perfectly captures the joy and anticipation of Christmas Eve.

A rollicking, read-aloud rhyme featuring Plunkett, the plucky pink pig.

Meditation and visualization, if approached in an inventive and appealing manner, bring enormous benefits to children. It can calm their anxieties, build their self-esteem, and teach them quietness and thoughtfulness. Consisting of 20 narrative-based meditations, this book, the follow-up to the hugely successful Nightlights, offers even more stories to help your child find inner calm and emotional balance and is designed for parents to use with any child between ages 4 and 8.

From two illustrious picture book makers, and mother and daughter, comes a delicious read-aloud perfect for story time, bedtime and, most of all, baking time!Winner of the Mal Peet Children''s Award at the East Anglian Book Awards "All glittery and fun and perfect for both storytime and bedtime" Guardian From Joyce Dunbar and her daughter Polly, author-illustrator of Penguin and Hello Tilly, comes a delicious read-aloud celebration of baking! Are you ready? Grab a spoon! Because it''s Pat-a-cake time! Come on Jelly Baby, Allsorts Baby and Candy Baby - Pat-a-cake Baby wants to make a very special cake and needs your help, what a job it is! Pitter-patter - get the butter! Glitzy-glossy - whisk in sugar! Jokey-yolky - add the eggs! A riot of rhyme and action, little children will feel stuffed to the brim full of magic and fun.

Does Duck dazzle as much as the peacock? Does he dawdle like the tortoise, or does he dash like the hare? No? Well, what does Duck do? Does Duck . . . dare? A gorgeous new story from the author of TELL ME SOMETHING HAPPY BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP and the illustrator of DADDY IS MY HERO.

Willa has trouble falling asleep until her brother reminds her of all the happy things that await her in the morning.

This delightful collection of mini hardback picture books contains five stories that are ideal for sharing either at home or on the go. The pack contains everything from hilarious rhymes to bedtime classics: Quentin Blake''s Mister Magnolia, Anthony Browne''s Willy and Hugh, John Prater''s Again!, The Owl and the Pussycat illustrated by Ian Beck, and Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep by Joyce Dunbar and Debi Gliori.

Lorenzo no puede dormir, no le gusta la oscuridad, debajo de la cama podría estar escondiéndose un monstruo. ¡Así es! Se trata de diminuto monstruo con un enorme apetito, que le encanta comer la oscuridad, la engulle toda. Hasta que muy pronto todo es luz, pero el monstruo sigue teniendo una gran sensación de vacío, que solo el cariño de un niño puede llenar. Jimmy Liao junto con Joyce Dunbar presentan una fantástica y conmovedora historia.

This little girl wants her very own miniature wild animal. Anything from a little snappy happy crocodile or a tiny trundle rumble elephant, to a pocket-sized grizzly bear. But as her big brother explains, a real wild animal would make a terrible pet. You can''t nuzzle a crocodile, or tickle a wild elephant, and a grizzly bear belongs in a cave not a pocket! But there''s one pet, a tiny pet, that loves to be tickled and cuddled. It''s like a tiger, only much smaller . . . A delightfully rhythmic tale, bursting with imagination, and a playful introduction to a world of wild animals.